


Present

by probablysomehow



Category: Buhay Kolehiyo, SSU, Sexy Sexy Universities
Genre: Fluff, Humor, Implied Dancer!Salle, M/M, TAGGING IS WEIRD BYE, bc i love salle but i love salle as a dancer more, even though they aint in a relationship, i tried to stick to the character's personalities, neo's bday isnt till december sorry, relationship milestone, salle does everything for neo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 11:31:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10808178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/probablysomehow/pseuds/probablysomehow
Summary: Wherein Salle gets Neo a birthday present that'll stick around for quite a while.





	Present

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Most characters mentioned in this story are owned by Sexy Sexy Universities's Buhay Kolehiyo on Facebook, except Cherry S. If your name is Cherry S, I'm sorry that you're here.
> 
> (More disclaimer: I don't know what's sold in Ateneo Trade and it's likely that Salle's gift can be found there but we'll pretend it can't.)
> 
> Hello hello! This is my first real narrative NeoSalle fic that I actually put effort into lol I hope it's not too bad!!

The crisp December breeze brushed Salle's hair as he drove around Diliman with his car windows down. Cess had her head halfway out the window on the passenger's seat, waving at Phil outside Bahay ng Alumni. "Kuya Phil!" she called out, catching the attention of the Isko who previously had his eyes on his phone, his other hand holding a box of Chocolate Kiss Devil’s Food Cake, as planned. His face lit up as he saw the car approach and Salle honked his horn twice to announce his arrival.

"Kuya, so _ingay_." Cess glared at her brother for a split second before turning to Phil once again. "Let's go, let's go!" she waved at Phil who climbs in the backseat quickly. He tried to sit in the middle as much as he could, what with the large bag of canned food and a multitude of other gift bags scattered on the backseat. " _Daming pinamili ah_." Phil commented as he situated the box of cake on top of the mess in the car. "Those are some gifts from Ate Yue, Ate Faye, and Kuya Ace. _'Di sila makakapunta tonight_ so they made _padala_ their gifts for Kuya Neo na lang." Cess replied with a pout. " _May_ thesis _pa si_ Faye and Ace, give them a break. _May_ family matters _din_ _si_ Yue tonight." Salle explained and rolled up the car windows as he drove near the exit to Katip.

" _Eh ba't ba tayo nagmamadali_?" Phil asked, leaning forward to squeeze himself between the two seats in front. Salle made an exit to Katip and groaned at the Friday traffic he was faced with.

" _Wala lang_." Cess chuckled and rolled her eyes at her brother. "Kuya's just impatient to see Kuya Neo." she told Phil casually. The boy in the back shook his head and reached his hand over to pat Salle's back. " _Hay na'ko, siguro naman kayang maghintay nun_." Phil consoled Salle's figure slouched on the wheel.

"I'm just tired, Cess." Salle grumbled. Phil knew it was a lie, Cess knew it was half true.

Salle had been saving up for months for his birthday gift for Neo, knowing how much the gift would mean to him. This wasn't something Neo could easily see around Ateneo Trade (or at least Salle hoped), and it was something Salle actually took weeks to find. The gift alone didn't come cheap, and the total for the accompanying accessories were also expensive, even for Salle. But he knew no matter how much Neo claimed _"I don't want anything, really."_ and _"Maybe just the pop-up book of The Little Prince."_ , Salle was sure Neo wanted (and deserved) something more.

Actually, Neo had mentioned the specific gift he wanted some time six months ago and Salle hadn't stopped thinking of it since. He hoped even Neo forgot about it, so it would come as an actual surprise.

Salle had it planned out. He'd gotten the accompanying accessories for his gift earlier (which explains the mess in the backseat that wouldn't fit in the trunk) and wanted to bring the gift alongside the others, but he was bummed when he found out he wouldn't be getting the order for his gift till tomorrow no matter how much he wanted to. He had resorted to buying Neo a set of highlighter pens and hoped it would tide Neo over till he got the real present.

The car moved at a turtle-like pace as they approached Neo's condo. Phil toed the bag of canned food on the floor of the car. Salle drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Cess's phone rang, breaking the silent atmosphere.

"Hello? …Yes, Ate Mia?" she greeted the girl on the other line. "…We're almost there _na_ , promise. Kuya's so _bagal eh_." Cess complained, earning the response she knew she would get.

"Blame the traffic, _tangina_ , not me!" Salle exclaimed in offense.

She carried on with her conversation as if she hadn't heard him. "…Yes. Is Kuya Neo ready _na_? …Okay. We're parking _na_. We'll be up in a few! …Thank you, Ate!" Cess ended the call and chose a parking spot in front of Neo's condo building.

They climbed out of the car and Cess was in charge of carrying the cake while the boys carried most of the gifts. Together, the three made their way to the entrance where Neo patiently waited. "They're with me." Neo told the security guard, who merely nodded his head as he grabbed the three ID's that Salle gave.

"Happy birthday, Kuya Neo!" Cess cheerfully greeted first. "I would hug you but your cake is in the way." she added, looking at the box in her arms. "Thanks, Cess." Neo pulled her in a one-sided hug and ushered her to the hallway where the elevators were for her to get on.

It was Phil's turn to greet his friend then, who tried his best to give a hug with his hands full of bags. "Happy birthday, Neo!" Phil grinned at the smaller boy. "Thank you, Phil. Are these all from you?!" Neo's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the amount of gifts he had. "Nah, from Faye, Ace, and Yue. _Yung_ cake _yung galing sa'kin_." Phil smugly replied and followed Cess towards the end of the hallway.

Last but certainly not the least, Salle met Neo with that familiar, flirty smile. "Salle." Neo greeted coolly, testing the waters. Green eyes met blue with the same intense stare they always held. "Happy birthday, _Sungit_." Salle said softly with no hint of sarcasm. He shifted all of the contents in his left arm to pull Neo in the best one-armed hug he could manage at the moment. Neo physically melted in the embrace and took in a deep breath with a thought of how he missed this boy. They stayed in their own bubble of peace and quiet until a certain loud boy interrupted.

" _Hoy_ , Salle, _wag mo namang solohin yung birthday boy_!" Phil shouted from the end of the hallway where he and Cess were waiting for an elevator. Neo reluctantly pulled away and put a finger to his lips. "Phil, wag maingay!" he hissed, making Salle chuckle. Salle let his hand rest on Neo's shoulder as they made their way to their friends, and Neo allowed it.

***

Once gifts were dropped off in Neo's condo, nine students found themselves in a bar in Katip drinking the night away. No matter how much Salle persuaded Neo to be as walwal as possible, the birthday boy would not allow himself to get drunk off his ass, claiming to be the responsible one. _"Iuuwi naman kita," Salle had promised. "Sa condo mo?" Neo had shot back with a raised, provoking eyebrow. "Gusto mo ba?" Salle had taunted. Neo had laughed and took a swig of his San Mig Apple, avoiding the question._ He did allow himself to loosen up though, and soon he was attached to Salle's side with the archer's arm draped over his shoulders.

"One more shot!" Mia thrust the shot glass to Iya, whose face twisted upon gulping the drink. " _Grabe_ , why me? _Kakatapos ko lang_!" she complained in displeasure after her chaser, sliding the shot glass back to Mia. " _Katatapos dapat_." Phil corrected in a tipsy slur. Even under the influence, he still had the sense of mind to correct his friend. The rest of the group rolled their eyes. "Give the shot to Kuya Phil _nga_!" Cess grabbed the filled shotglass and pushed it in Phil's hand.

"Salle, _bakit parang wala ata akong nakitang_ grand birthday gift _para kay_ Neo? _Anong binigay mo_?" Tomas asked from across the table. "Sex _regalo niyan_!" Phil snorted, losing his filter little by little. The comment made Don choke on his drink and Addie pat his back. " _Kadiri ka_!" Mia shouted and snagged the shotglass from Phil.

Salle took a deep inhale from his stick of cigarette and blew out the smoke before he replied. "Highlighters _lang_." he responded passively, and everyone but Cess and Neo turned to him with looks of confusion, outrage, and disappointment. Cess knew better and Neo was none the wiser. Salle was known for giving Neo the most outlandish presents, always out-gifting probably everyone else. The year before, he'd gotten Neo a dozen Neko Atsume plushies straight from Japan that he bought himself when he went there with his family. Needless to say, there was at least two cat plushies in every room of Neo's condo now.

" _Ano?! Seryoso ka ba?_ "

" _Ang_ cheap _mo naman_!"

"Neo deserves better!"

"HIGHLIGHTER _LANG_??”

" _Burgis ta's yun lang_?!"

"What the fuck, Salle?"

Neo piped up to stand up for the man beside him. "Hey! In my defense," he raised his voice over the rest of his friends, "I did need the highlighters. And he got me the pastel ones that I liked!" he defended. Salle grinned his thanks and put out his cig on the provided ashtray on their table. He didn't understand how Neo managed to be so appreciative when he was spoiled rotten and could easily buy his own highlighters, but he sided with Salle for buying something as simple as school supplies.

"I can't believe you're actually defending this guy, Neo." Mia scoffed as she handed the shot glass to Don next. "If I had known all you wanted were highlighters, I wouldn't have gotten you those succulents." Don shook his head before he took the shot. "I did like the succulents. Thank you, Don." Neo smiled sweetly, watching him drink the shot as fast as he could. "And _I_ wouldn't have gotten you Animal Crossing for your 3DS." Cess chimed in with a playful pout on her face. "I wanted that!" Neo fired back, pointing his bottle to Cess.

" _Sus, may tinatago lang 'yan. May mas magandang regalo 'yan_." Iya knowingly said, staring Salle down. "Oh, _ano nga_?" Salle dared her, leaning forward to take the shot glass from Mia to drink. " _Malay ko. Bumili ka ng_ Nintendo Switch, _'no_?" She guessed. She remembered Neo tweeting about it once. She frowned when she saw Neo shaking his head. "Already have one." Neo replied, causing Tomas to shriek. "What?!" The growling tiger bellowed. The Atenean laughed, knowing how much Tomas wanted to see the gadget and was close to buying his own already. "My dad gave it to me. Don't worry, I'll let you borrow it when you're sober." He assured.

"Kindle?" Iya tried again. Neo loved books, maybe Salle had his hands on a Kindle? Salle shook his head, denying Iya’s guess. "Mom got me that, too." Neo replied. " _Tangina, burgis talaga._ " Both Don and Phil commented under their breath. "Highlighters _nga lang binigay ko_." Salle got the newly-refilled shot glass and handed it to Neo this time. "Drink." he added. He watched as Neo placed his lips on the rim of the shot glass, wishing he could replace the glass against Neo's lips with his own.

The music in the bar got louder as it switched songs, shaking the floor. " _Tara_ , let's dance!" Iya tugged at Addie's arm. " _O'nga! Tara_ , Neo!!" Phil shouted, pulling Neo away from Salle. "Oy, _pahiram muna ha_!" Phil told Salle, who waved them off with a grin. "Hey! I'm supposed to be responsible!" Neo whined, trying to glue himself back in his seat. " _Corny amputa! Dali na!_ " Tomas shouted, being dragged by Iya as well. Iya already had Addie and Don by the shoulders, dragging them to the dance floor. Mia and Cess were already there in a snap, bouncing to the beat. "Go, I'll catch up." Salle told the boy beside him that had a pout on his face.

Phil dragged Neo again and Salle watched as they both disappeared in the crowd. Salle was left alone to take another swig from his bottle of Smirnoff Mule when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and unlocked it, seeing the message from the person he was buying Neo's gift from.

**Today 10:55PM**  
**Cherry S** : Good pm sir pwede niyo na po siya kunin bukas. Meet up na lang po sa cubao

He sighed once again at the reminder that he wasn't able to give Neo's gift on his actual birthday. He knew asking was probably a lost cause, but he tried anyway.

**Salle** : Hindi talaga pwede tonight?  
**Cherry S** : Asa taft pa po kasi kayo sir eh malayo po sa katipunan

Salle shot up from his slouch and read the text again. The seller was in Katip. _He_  was in Katip. It was so cheesy, so un-Salle, to think but this had to be fate, destiny, whatever the fuck it was.

**Salle** : Nasa katip ako tonight. Saang banda ng Katip pwede mag meet??

Call him rude and desperate for asking the seller to get out of their house to get the present past 11pm, but he really would rather have one stranger hate him for a night than have Neo think he really did just buy him five fucking highlighters for his birthday.

**Cherry S** : Sa may regis na lang po sir. Ngayon na po?

Salle hastily typed "in 15 minutes" as he stood up to find Cess or Neo to excuse himself. He found Neo making half-assed dance moves right next to Phil shouting, jumping, and flailing his arms. He made a mental note to teach both of these boys to dance properly. "Neo!" He yelled over the music, pushing past sweaty, drunken bodies.

Neo straightened up and composed himself as Salle approached with a cocky smile. " _Marunong ka naman palang sumayaw eh_." The green-eyed man exclaimed in joy, to which Neo just scoffed at. It was good that the lights were dim, otherwise Salle would see the blush on his cheeks. Large hands rested on Neo's shoulders and squeezed. " _Teka lang, ha_. I'll be back in 30 minutes." Salle excused himself with a laugh, unable to contain his excitement. Before he could turn back to leave, Neo gripped his wrist. "Why?" The birthday boy demanded to know, brows furrowed to focus on Salle's face in the flashing lights. Salle shook his head and ran his hand through his hair to keep it back. " _Basta_! You're in charge, you stay here." Salle squeezed Neo's arm again for good measure bid his farewell for now. He dashed through the crowd, leaving his friends in the crowd, to chase after the present he sought for.

***

The whole drive back to the bar, Salle was practically vibrating in his seat. Excited as he was, he took great care to drive as careful as possible to avoid damaging the present. He may be ten minutes early because he may have sped through traffic, but Salle (and the present) made it in one piece. He parked his car and left the windows on the backseat about an inch rolled down before he strode inside the bar.

Their previous table was now occupied by another group of people, which left him to look for his friends in the crowd of dancing bodies or the stage where a couple of people have gathered to sing. None of them were to be found.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and he whipped around to see Neo standing there, holding a near-empty bottle of Tanduay Ice. He looked more relaxed now, a drastic difference from the Neo most people saw him as. This was how Salle wanted to see him tonight, he only wished he hadn't left earlier to witness this unfold. He rarely got to see Neo let loose. "Where's everyone else?" Salle asked, pulling Neo away from the music as far as they could manage.

"Mia took Cess and Phil to her apartment, so you can pick up Cess tomorrow morning." Neo informed offhandedly, "Addie drove Tomas, Iya, and Don home _na din_." He continued. Before Salle could get a word in, Neo held up a finger with the hand that held his now-empty bottle. "Don't worry, Addie was more or less sober when she drove home _naman_." He cut in.

Salle exhaled a breath he wasn't aware he was holding in. " _Eh ba't nandito ka pa_?" He asked, a thick eyebrow raised. "You told me to stay here _lang_! _Gulo mo din eh, no_." Neo answered as if it was the most obvious question of all time. " _Okay ka naman_?" Salle asked Neo for the sake of asking, but he knew the boy needed to cool off. Neo hummed (though Salle didn't hear) and let him take his bottle of alcohol. " _Tara na, uwi na_." Salle offered, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Not once did Neo object, he also let some of his weight rest on Salle as well. Neo kept talking about how funny it was that Mia nearly fell on top of Tomas when she slipped on a puddle of alcohol on the floor as he and Salle walked out.

"' _Di ka lasing, ha_?" Salle teased, causing Neo to fix his posture. Blue eyes focused on Salle. " _O'nga_. Promise, I'm sobering up." Neo vowed with a serious look that lasted for a second before it split into a smile. It wasn't the drunk smile Salle knew, but it was the honest one he really rarely saw. As they approached the car, Salle felt excitement course in his veins once more. This was it, this was the surprise he'd been saving up for.

Salle unlocked the car and watched Neo slide in, careful to make sure he actually gets seated. Once he was positive Neo wouldn't fall over, he jogged back to the driver's seat. The two doors slammed shut.

_Meow._

Neo sobered up in an instant and visibly tensed at the high-pitched meow of a kitten, looking out the window to see if it was outside. "Salle, wait! Don't drive!" He raised his voice in panic after Salle started the car. " _May_ cat _sa labas_ , you might run over it!" He rolled his window down and stuck his head out in search of the kitten.

"Neo, it's not outside." Salle said, trying to hold in his laughter. Neo turned to look at him with a confused expression and that too-adorable pout of his. " _Ha??_ " Was all that came out of Neo's mouth. Salle pointed his thumb to the backseat for Neo to see.

In the middle of the mess of cat food and other pet accessories in the backseat sat a cage where two green eyes peeked in the dark, followed by another series of squeaky meows.

"Salle!!" Neo all but shrieked, twisting in his seat to unlock the cage and free whatever kitten was inside. It was the exact response Salle had hoped for. "What the fuck? What the fuck, SALLE?! _GAGO_?" He exclaimed as he pulled out the miniature white munchkin cat that kept meowing. Salle himself couldn't help but roar in laughter at Neo's infectious excitement. "OH MY GOD. SALLE. YOU'RE KIDDING." Neo shouted, unable to contain his happiness as he pulled the kitten closer to him. The smile that broke in Neo's face paid off every last bit of saving that Salle did to get this kitten in Neo's arms. "Hello, what's your name?" Neo cooed at the small kitten that pawed at his shirt.

"Happy birthday." Salle said seriously for the first time after saying nothing.

The next thing Salle knew, Neo launched himself on him, one arm around him and one arm protectively holding the noisy kitten. He burrowed his face into Salle's neck and Salle felt the grin through his shirt. It was warm in the car all of a sudden, being engulfed in Neo and nothing but Neo. It was warm but it felt good, that Salle made Neo feel this happy. Salle felt Neo's head turn to the side, his face meeting Salle's neck. "Thank you." The eagle murmured against the skin of Salle's neck, and it felt too much like a kiss.

Hesitantly, Salle reached a hand up to rub Neo's back. "You're welcome." He said softly, then went back to his usual teasing voice. "I'm not stupid enough to buy you fucking highlighters for your birthday, _gago_." He snorted. Neo pulled back and laughed, gingerly holding the kitten in front of him. "I know." He casually replied, as if he'd known Salle's plan all along. He spent a few quiet seconds petting the kitten's head before Salle spoke up and started backing out of the parking spot. "What are you naming him?" He asked conversationally.

Neo didn't have to think twice.

"Archer." He replied.

Salle didn't have to ask why.


End file.
